This invention relates to conveyor chain links and, more particularly, to chain links adapted for use with a fingered transfer plate.
Typically when a flat plate chain is used in conjunction with a transfer plate, there is a gap between the chain and the transfer plate. This gap may cause articles being carried on the top surface of the chain to tip or jam up at the point of transfer to the transfer plate. Fingered transfer plates have been used in the past as a solution to this problem. Examples of conveyor chains which can be used with transfer plates in various transfer plate configurations are illustrated in the Hodlewsky et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,838, issued Mar. 27, 1984; and the Lapeyre U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,949, issued Oct. 4, 1977.
Additionally, when transporting articles by means of a conveyor there are many instances in which the articles will back up or accumulate on the conveyor. When the articles accumulate, they push against each other building up backline pressure. A large backline pressure is unacceptable when the articles being carried by the conveyor are fragile because the force of the articles pushing against each other may damage them. The backline pressure also puts an extra load on the conveyor and the conveyor sprockets and causes sliding friction and abrasion of the conveyor. A low backline pressure chain intended to overcome these deficiencies is illustrated in European Patent No. 066,530, published Aug. 28, 1985, that patent application being assigned to the assignee of the present invention.